A Foreign Office official has reportedly said that the United Kingdom’s government is lobbying to make the travel process to the EU for Britons as smooth as possible once the Entry/Exit System goes live.
According to the official, such a requirement from the UK government was made during a meeting of the EES Transport Industry Communications Groups that was held this week, Schengen.News reports.
Even though this information has not been confirmed by the authorities, as Travel Gossip explains, the UK is requiring that its citizens be exempted from the requirement to answer additional questions, saying that a facial scan should be sufficient.
The EU has not shared what those questions will be. However, their main aim is to keep track of where foreigners are going and staying once entering the Schengen Area.
EES Launch Has Been Delayed & There Is Still No New Implementation Date
The EES was set to go live on November 10 of this year. However, after some member states said that their border computer systems could not be ready in time, the EU decided to delay its launch once again.
When the launch of the EES was delayed again, the EU Commission for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said that she hoped that the EU would move on with the system’s implementation as soon as possible. Despite that, the EU authorities have not shared any new information on the matter, with the system’s new implementation date being yet to be announced.
This delay caused mixed reactions in the UK. The leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough, said that the delay could be an opportunity to address some of the concerns raised so far about the system.
In contrast, Eurotunnel said that it found the postponement of the EES implementation disappointing.
Expressing its discontent about the situation, Eurotnel noted that the company had spent about €83.7 million on building the needed infrastructure, installing kiosks, developing technology, and hiring additional staff.
A Large Number of Brits May Choose Not to Travel to EU Once EES Goes Live
A study published in recent months from Co-op Insurance has revealed that more than one in five Brits may decide not to travel to the EU when the EES goes live.
The majority of those who took part in the study said that the new system would make them feel nervous, stressed, and anxious.
Moreover, those over the age of 44 said that they are more likely to cancel their trip to the EU due to the above-mentioned reasons.